OPENING OF THE ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 2935, 16 July 1872, Page 2

OPENING OF THE ASSEMBLY.

THE GOVERNOR’S SPEECH,

[By Electric Telegraph.]

The second session of the fifth Parliament of the Colony was opened at Wellington today, at noon, with the usual ceremonies. The following is the speech of his Excellency the Governor;—

Honorable Legislative Councillors, and Gentlemen of the House of Repre-

sentatives, —

The alarming illness of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales produced in this Colony, no less than in other parts of the Empire, feelings of profound regret, and the subsequent intelligence o€ lais recovery was hailed with universal rejoicings. My advisers will submit to you addresses to her Majesty, in which you will be asked to express your gratitude for the preservation of the empire from a great calamity, and your sympathy with your sovereign and the Royal Family. I have to congratulate you on the general tranquillity which prevails in the several Native districts throughout |New Zealand, and on the friendly manifested by the tribes hitherto disaffected. It shows the progress being made towards the peaceful settlement of the Native difficulty, I have lately made a tour through the districts in the interior of this island, not long since disturbed by rebellion. I was everywhere treated by the natives with the greatest respect and hospitality, and received from them the strongest assurances of their desire to cultivate friendly reflations with the European colonists. 1 was much pleased to see the progress of the roads which are being constructed to a great extent by Maori labor. I also congratulate you on the steady development and prosperous condition of the agricultural, raining, and pastoral industries. Since the close of last session, ray Government has been engaged in giving effect to the legislative measures passed by you for the construction of railways. Contracts for sections of several lines have been entered into upon terms which I trust you will consider favorable. The surveys of other lines are approaching completion. Papers will bo laid before you which will inform you what steps have been taken towards establishing a continuous stream of immigration. I am glad to be able to inform you that the operation of the Act which three years J since the Legislature wisely passed for es-

tablishing on the security of jbhe Colony a system of Life Assurance and annuities, which continues to meet with marked success. The progress and development of that system on the principles on which it is based will, I am sure, materially tend to the social comfort and welfare, not only of those who directly share in it, but indirectly of the whole community. Gbnelemkn of the House of Representatives, — The Estimates will be laid before you framed, with every regard for economy, consistent with efficient administration. A very satisfactory symptom of that reviving prosperity of the Colony, which I ventured last session to hope was not far distant is to be found, 1 am happy to say, in the increased and increasing receipts of the revenue. Honorable Legislative Councillors, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, — The occurrence of a few cases of small-pox in tbs Colony should remind you of the importance of sanitary laws. A Bill will he submitted to you improving the law relating to vaccination and quarantine, and for the better enabling of means to be taken for the repression of epidemic disease in towns and in country districts. Measures will be submitted to you to consolidate and amend the laws relating to gold mining ; to reduce the stamp duty payable on receipts ; to reduce postage on newspapers within the Colony ; to enable municipalities and road districts to enter into arrangements or grant concessions for the construction of tramways ; to make more liberal term# on which drawbacks are granted ; to encourage fisheries to amend the laws relating to the public revenues; to amend the law of bankruptcy to provide for the appointment of a public trustee ; to consolidate and amend the laws relating to elections. These and other measures which may bo brought before you I commend to your careful consideration; and I trust that your labors may, under the blessing of Providence, conduce to the prosperity of the Colony and to the two races which inhabit it.